Library Resources: Citation Help: Avoiding Plagiarism

Common Types of Plagiarism

Direct plagiarism: Directly using words and phrases without quotations or paraphrase and without citing a source. This is academically dishonest and unethical.
Self plagiarism: When a student submits all or part of work he or she created for another class and for which he or she received credit without getting permission from all instructors involved. (This will be flagged in turnitin.com).
Mosaic plagiarism: Occurs when a student takes phrases from a source without using quotation marks and citing the source. This also occurs when a student changes some wording but keeps the original structure of the resource and does not give credit. In addition, paraphrasing is when you take someone's idea and use your own words. This patchwork plagiarism, whether it is intentional or not, is academically dishonest and unethical.
Accidental plagiarism: This occurs when a student forgets to cite a source or paraphrase correctly. Although it is not intentional, the result is still plagiarism. It is a student's responsibility to learn how to paraphrase correctly and how to cite all information used from outside resources.

Credo Plagiarism Video
Video overview of plagiarism-- general, self, and aggregate. Requires you to log in with your MEID and password.

When to Cite

If you use any information from any source (print or nonprint, including websites), you must quote or paraphrase that information and cite it. The only exception is for information that is common knowledge. Example: the months of the year or the planets in our solar system.

If you are unsure if it is common knowledge, then you should cite it.

Examples of resources you might use that must be cited:

websites
television/t.v.
databases
books, magazines, newspapers
pictures, charts
video clips
music
interviews
emails
group collaboration
presentations

Plagiarism Checker-- Bib Me
We check your paper against billions of sources using technology similar to Turnitin.

GCC Library Plagiarism Tutorial

Plagiarism Tutorial
This tutorial covers the topic of plagiarism, including definitions of plagiarism, examples of plagiarism, and strategies to avoid plagiarism.

GCC Plagiarism Resources

Stop Plagiarism by Vibiana Bowman Cvetkovic; Katie Elson Anderson
Call Number: GENERAL - PN167 .S76 2010
ISBN: 1555707165
Publication Date: 2010-08-01
Designed to be of use to all levels of educators working with students--from high school to post-graduate--this book addresses the problems and concerns facing librarians and educators involved in the process of teaching academic honesty. Many of the original authors from The Plagiarism Plague have returned with new essays along with new voices, a majority of whom represent the next generation of librarianship, the Web 2.0 professional. Stop Plagiarism contains background material, web resources, a collection of sample exercises, and an interactive CD that provides tools an educator can use to stop plagiarism. One of three videos on the CD features an animated interactive quiz that helps student understand when they must include a citation. The authors have also established an anti-plagiarism wiki where readers are encouraged to participate in the on-going conversation on plagiarism. This book is a one-stop source for anyone who wants to understand why students knowingly or unknowingly plagiarize, who needs materials for teaching academic integrity, and who will benefit from a current resource guide to tools for actively detecting plagiarism.
What Every Student Should Know about Avoiding Plagiarism by Linda Stern
Call Number: North General-- PN167 .S74 2007
ISBN: 9780321446893
Publication Date: 2006-06-13
Students will take plagiarism seriously and understand its consequences with this timely and effective supplement. Here, source usage methods -- summary, paraphrase and quotation -- are explained, with examples. The most common types of plagiarism are discussed, from simple mistakes such as forgetting to use quotation marks when using someone else's exact words, or failing to acknowledge another's thoughts and ideas, to wholesale fraudulence, such as purchasing student papers from online sites and claiming them as one's own work. A brief essential guide to citing sources using both MLA and APA documentation styles is also included.
Preventing Plagiarism by Laura Hennessey DeSena
Call Number: PN167 .D47 2007
ISBN: 9780814145937
Publication Date: 2007-01-22
DeSena offers a practical guide on how high school and college teachers can structure assignments and guide students so that students don't plagiarize. For many teachers, identifying and combating plagiarism in students' writing has become a frustrating and time-consuming process. In this practical guide, Laura Hennessey DeSena seeks to help alleviate some of this frustration by offering teachers effective strategies for heading off plagiarism at its sources. DeSena argues for creating assignments that emphasize students' original thinking through freewriting and the use of primary sources. In doing so, we can help build their confidence and critical thinking skills so that they are less likely to rely on online paper mills or copy and paste from other sources.
Doing Honest Work in College, Third Edition by Charles Lipson
Call Number: PN171.F56 L56 2018
ISBN: 9780226430744
Publication Date: 2019-01-11
Doing Honest Work in College stands on three principles: do the work you say you do, give others credit, and present your research fairly. These are straightforward concepts, but the abundance of questionable online sources and temptation of a quick copy-paste can cause confusion as to what's considered citing and what's considered cheating. This guide starts out by clearly defining plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty and then gives students the tools they need to avoid those pitfalls. This edition addresses the acceptable use of mobile devices on tests, the proper approach to sources such as podcasts or social media posts, and the limitations of citation management software.